It has been mere months since Mystenlabs unveiled their new web3-enabled Suiplay0x1 gaming console, and the promise of earning crypto rewards and NFT’s from blockchain gaming has already caught the attention of thousands, who have pre-ordered the device.
Gaming Disruption: Empowering Players
As the world of gaming becomes considerably less consumer-friendly, gamers are becoming ever more disenfranchised by rampant corporate greed. Blockchain gaming, and specifically the creators of the SUI Token, Mystenlabs, plans to put the power back into the hands of gamers through total gaming disruption, enabling players to take ownership of their games and earn crypto and NFT’s as they do it.
Handheld Gaming in a Renaissance
Handheld gaming devices are currently in a renaissance, with the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch dominating the market in recent years. Now the SUIPlay 0x1 looks to enter the competition and shake up the market with their blend of web2 and web3 gaming, allowing users to not only play blockchain games (which are mostly banned on traditional gaming platforms such as Steam) but also allow users to play mainstream AAA games from Steam and the Epic game store.
Crypto Gaming: Niche Market or the Future?
This begs the question, is crypto and blockchain gaming something consumers want? Crypto gaming is a niche market. The average FIFA player or Call of Duty enjoyer will likely have never heard of blockchain gaming, or be interested in its potential NFT and crypto benefits. However, for the specific few that fall into the niche, the future promised by Mystenlab’s latest foray into the world of handheld consoles could completely change their gaming experience.
Lessons from Solana: A Precedent for Crypto Hardware
Mystenlabs are by no means the first to make crypto-powered hardware. Fierce rivals Solana have been chipping away at the crypto hardware industry for some years now, and their history is important to study when predicting the future of the SUIPlay.
In May of 2023 Solana released the Solana Saga mobile phone, a device with web3 capability, airdrops, secure blockchain, dApps and a seed vault, with the ultimate goal to make using web3 “delightful, easy and simple”. However, upon release, the $999 price tag attached to the device paired with poor ratings from big reviewers like MKBHD, and the generally unimpressive specs of the phone lead to an underwhelming performance in sales, initially making the device a financial and critical flop, forcing the phone to drop its price by $400.
Luckily for Solana however, the Saga saw a second wind in sales after its price drop, as eagle-eyed crypto investors realised the potential of the device to turn them a profit on the meme coin exchange. Included with the device were airdrops from various meme coins, one in particular, “Bonk”, saw a huge increase in value, meaning consumers globally were itching to turn a profit by buying a phone which not only paid for itself but made you a considerable amount of money.
The device was so popular that it was often found on sale on the web for $2000 (double the original asking price). This set the precedent for every Crypto-based piece of hardware that followed, such as the Degen phone and Solanas’s next entry into the world of phones with their Solana Seeker (set to release later this year).
The Rise of Crypto Hardware
The inception of the Solana Saga presented proved unequivocally a gap in the crypto-based psychical-products market, which has allowed a slew of new creations such as Solanas “Play Solana”, the “Bit Boy”, and now in 2025 arguably the most enticing of them all, the SUIPlay.
What Makes the SUIPlay Stand Out?
So what makes the SUIPlay so enticing? Until this point, Blockchain gaming has been a largely problematic affair. It’s no secret that blockchain games are mostly unheard of, and the ones who’s whispers have made it into the mainstream are difficult to get your hands on (due to the mainstream gaming distributors banning them) and often riddled with performance issues, boring gameplay and tanking in-game economy’s.
Excitingly, it would appear that the SUIPlay wants to change that.
The SUIPlay 0x1 puts blockchain gaming and Web3 hand in hand with traditional gaming and standard web2 capabilities, giving users the option to delve into both worlds at the touch of a button. With no issues downloading and playing blockchain games, and finally, a device that can play them natively, developers will have the tools at their disposal to fix bugs and enhance their games to the quality gamers deserve and have come to expect from mainstream releases.
Competitive Pricing and Promising Specs
Even more alluring are the recently announced tech specs and the cost of the device. At $599 it sits right in the middle of its competitors the Steam Deck ($549) and the ASUS ROG Ally ($650), making it a decent option for the average person without breaking the bank. The hardware inside the device also stands up to scrutiny with their competition aswell, with the SUIPlay having more processing power than the Steam Deck, but boasting a considerably less impressive screen.
So impressive specs and an affordable price point, it is down to the game developers to make interesting products, and it appears that the future might be promising for blockchain games, with the games “darktimes” and “xociety” announced for the release of the console.
The Importance of Incentives
Unsurprisingly, the leading factor for the SUIPlay’s potential success, will come in the form of its crypto rewards. Currently the only confirmed incentive for purchase comes in the form of an NFT for customers who preorder, with a soulbound NFT included on the device upon day of release.
However, if the Solana phone’s history is anything to go by, the main selling point of the device will be potential airdrops. Currently there is no confirmation what will be included with the device, however, the SUIPlay undoubtely would benefit massively by including them. These would likely come from the developers of the games on the device, and would serve as great promotion for the new blockchain games.
The Role of Developers
Ultimately, the success of the SUIPlay will be down to how it runs, its incentives, the games it can play, and the day one reviews. It has been proved in the past that crypto hardware can be successful if the developers put time and care into its creation, and if Mystenlabs play the right hand, the stars may align to make it a successful product.
A Promising Yet Early Stage for Blockchain Gaming
This early into blockchain gaming it would be ludicrous to expect the device to sell anywhere near the numbers of its Web2 competitors, however, if they can convince average gamers that they are here to bring them a better playing experience, they can produce a brillant product, and they continue to expand the market, eventually blockchain gaming might become a mainstay. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and gaming on the blockchain certainly won’t be either.
Author: Mason Meyers
See Also:
How Strong Will SUI Be in 2025? | Disruption Banking
From NPC to hero: Web3 gaming shows how to return power to user-creators | Disruption Banking
Hoping for an NFT rebound, Flamingo DAO HODLs | Disruption Banking
